Aging, The Fountain of Youth - Right in Front of Us All This Time!

By: Danna Schneider

Can we really stop the aging process, slow
it down, or even reverse the effects of aging on our skin and body? It is
an enigma for which so many have searched the answers to for years. Now,
with advanced modern science making break through's and discoveries every
day, the answers have become apparent to the age-old quest for the
proverbial fountain of youth.

In large part, your everyday
lifestyle choices contribute to the way you age, and at what rate your
body ages. Diet, environmental factors, exercise and the topical skin care
products and skin care regimen you choose, all affect the way you are
going to appear now and ten, twenty, and thirty years down the road.

It's
no surprise your lifestyle plays a pivotal role in how your body and
skin age over the years, since we've always known diet and exercise
affect our energy levels, appearance, moods, and fitness level. However,
several key foods have been found to be very effective weapons not only
against aging in general, but also against skin disorders ranging from
acne, rosacea, thin skin, and photo aging (sun damage).

These
foods can even help reverse and repair sun and other environmental damage
done to the skin. This powerful weapon is a group of chemical compounds
called antioxidants, and what they accomplish in high doses, along
with adequate exercise, can mimic a surgical face lift over a
relatively short period of time! Think about all of the damage your skin
is exposed to on a daily basis.

It is your largest and most
vulnerable organ, exposed to toxins and other damaging elements, like the
sun, every day. These elements will actually accelerate the aging
process by producing harmful compounds called free radicals, which can
damage cells and in turn damage the skin. Antioxidants actually fight
free radicals, and reverse some of the damage already done by them in
the body.

Precautions to be taken to prevent these nasty little
free radicals from wreaking havoc on your skin include wearing
sun screen every day, getting regular moderate exercise, using preventive
skin care (cleansers, lotions, gels, creams, etc.) formulated with
powerful antioxidants like Vitamin C and Alpha Lipoic Acid, and making
sure you get an abundance of antioxidants in your every day diet. Some
examples of foods high in antioxidants include berries
(strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.), citrus fruits (oranges,
grapefruits, etc.), and vegetables rich in color, such as broccoli,
zucchini, spinach, and summer squash. Green tea is also a great source
of antioxidants, not to mention a better choice than coffee for
apick-me-up.

While there are many foods to be enjoyed while living
by the"anti-aging" diet, there are also foods that need to be either
avoided all together, or strictly minimized. These are refined sugar,
caffeine, and all starchy and white flour products. The resulting surge
of insulin created by these foods produces more free radicals and
breaks down the cell's defenses against damaging elements, leaving you
wide open to more skin damage (ie. wrinkles, skin disorders, and
other premature aging effects).

These foods are highly
inflammatory by nature, and while they may taste good going down, know
that they are destroying good cells and allowing for future damage by
weakening the cell's defenses further. Eating these foods results in less
tone and definition. The skin "droops", hence the creation of fine
lines,wrinkles, and dull color. You will know a person that has a high
sugar and high carb diet by looking at their face. They may have almost
a"doughy" appearance to their skin, lacking the sharp definition and tone
enjoyed by those who follow a healthy diet based on the
anti-aging principles.

So, there you have it, some of the core
concepts that willget you started to minimizing and even reversing the
affects of aging.This is really just the tip of the ice berg. There is
actually a lot more information on these concepts available that would be
well worth your time to learn. What you do with these principles is up
to you, it's just a matter of making some minor changes for a longer,
happier and healthier life. I'd say that is definitely worth the
investment!